Another prefecture to be checked off the list! Had a workshop today at the ALT Mid Year Conference sponsored by Saga Prefecture Board of Education and the Ministry of Education. It was an absolutely brilliant day and on arrival everyone was very friendly and welcoming!

The speech itself was a bit difficult. Rather than just addressing those ALTs who visit elementary schools and hence doing a teaching workshop, I had to do a presentation to all the JETs and Japanese teachers. As High School JETs nearly always give me a hard time for doing anything remotely resembling anything kids based, I could only do the “making the most of JET” speech. It’s OK, but you can tell the disaffected ones who didn’t really get into it! It’s always easy to see that the happiest, most positive JETs are the ones who get to visit elementary school! But certainly the speech was better than having a boring guy in a grey suit like the day before so generally they were very good and the JTEs also responded well to me talking about some of the aspects of JET that they didn’t know, in Japanese. The JETs seemed to like me explaining to the JTEs why katakana is bad (I have a great “trap” that I lead them into). And the Board of Education people also seemed very happy, and talked about inviting me to do a speech to the other Japanese teachers, so that was cool.

Then afterwards I had a small elementary school workshop and that was fantastic. I just ran through a demo lesson, trying to fit in as many hints and tips as I good and it was so nice to see all the light bulbs going off in people’s heads! I should really have videod that!

Then it was half price beers up on the 8th floor, great. In Saga they have a groups of District Representatives who look after JETs in each area and they are some of the best people you’ll ever meet, and their leader Chelsea is so on the ball. Cool.

Then out to dinner and out to see a JET band play. What a great night out, and thanks to Jeff and everyone for the free beers!